April 29, 2016

Spanish Style Empanada with Tuna & Pimenton from Galicia

This one of those great weekend baking treats. . If you suffer a mortal fear of pie crust, you really need to make this crust. SO FORGIVING! It won’t tear and break on you and will come out of the oven tasting like a million bucks and you’ll impress the socks off your guests.

I love this crust – a rare thing this is that is so unique with origins in Spain and Portugal.

Ironically, nothing like the French pie crust, the texture of this crust unlike anything we usually come across in the realm of pie crust is one that takes me back to my childhood days. Probably because many bakeries in Mumbai are run by Goans and Parsis and with the Portuguese influence in Goa, this crust pretty much covered many of savory and sweet filling. This and puff pastry of course which as we know is synonymous with delish.

Who would have thought that just a spot of yeast in the dough would entirely change the structure of flavor of this crust. It adds a strength and flakiness without allowing the crust to crumble all over the place.

And it holds its own to the delicious filling we have here – with tuna, loads smoked Spanish Paprika, onions, peppers, smoked Spanish chorizo (which I add just because), chopped up fresh tomatoes, parsley, olives, hard boiled eggs….can say yumm?!

The filling once cooled is what stuffs this crust and gets baked in a an enormous 11 inch x 17 inch baking pan. No small little individual pieces to roll out here. The whole thing once baked gets cut into large squares and served. It’s the way it’s served in Galicia and so should you.

Did I happen to mention it’s great warm or at room temperature too?

Think make-ahead folks!

Gather the ingredients,

3 qty 5 oz cans tuna in oil, drained

yellow onion, to yield 1-1/2 cups chopped

1 green bell pepper

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1-1/2 tsp Imported Spanish paprika Pimenton

2 plum tomatoes

2 tbs tomato paste

2 qty, ¼” thick slices Spanish cured chorizo

fresh parsley, to yield ½ cup chopped

3 large boiled eggs

12 Spanish Manzanilla or other green olives, pitted

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 egg, beaten

Pastry crust:

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour + more during rolling out

2 large eggs

1 tsp active dry yeast

2 oz milk

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

4 tbs butter, unsalted & softened

3 tbs olive oil

½ cup dry white wine or sidre (hard apple cider)

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.

Eggs: Peel, chop and set side.

Onions: Peel, discard the skin and ends. Chop into ¼” pieces and set aside.

Bell pepper: Cut away the top & discard membranes. Chop into ¼” pieces and set aside.

Garlic: Crush & chop

Chorizo: Finely chop and set aside.

Tomatoes: Cut into halves lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon & discard. Chop the tomato and set aside.

Comments

Spanish Style Empanada with Tuna & Pimenton from Galicia

This one of those great weekend baking treats. . If you suffer a mortal fear of pie crust, you really need to make this crust. SO FORGIVING! It won’t tear and break on you and will come out of the oven tasting like a million bucks and you’ll impress the socks off your guests.

I love this crust – a rare thing this is that is so unique with origins in Spain and Portugal.

Ironically, nothing like the French pie crust, the texture of this crust unlike anything we usually come across in the realm of pie crust is one that takes me back to my childhood days. Probably because many bakeries in Mumbai are run by Goans and Parsis and with the Portuguese influence in Goa, this crust pretty much covered many of savory and sweet filling. This and puff pastry of course which as we know is synonymous with delish.

Who would have thought that just a spot of yeast in the dough would entirely change the structure of flavor of this crust. It adds a strength and flakiness without allowing the crust to crumble all over the place.

And it holds its own to the delicious filling we have here – with tuna, loads smoked Spanish Paprika, onions, peppers, smoked Spanish chorizo (which I add just because), chopped up fresh tomatoes, parsley, olives, hard boiled eggs….can say yumm?!

The filling once cooled is what stuffs this crust and gets baked in a an enormous 11 inch x 17 inch baking pan. No small little individual pieces to roll out here. The whole thing once baked gets cut into large squares and served. It’s the way it’s served in Galicia and so should you.